Corvus Posted May 4, 2022 Report Share Posted May 4, 2022 Found on dead box elder in SE Wisconsin today (early spring, first of the mushrooms here along with Dryad’s Saddle). It tasted and smelled like “mushroom” but tasted raw and the texture was cold and a bit slimy. Are there any Oyster look alikes that are toxic? I was reading about the Lentinellus genus, which look somewhat similar but seem to have enough distinct characteristics (jagged edges on gills, little or no stem on some species). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Please What Posted May 4, 2022 Report Share Posted May 4, 2022 I see no reason to doubt this is Pleurotus, probably ostreatus. I'm not the most knowledgeable but you have one vote in favor of this ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted May 5, 2022 Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 I agree, Pleurotus ostreatus. During spring another species that's common in my area is P. populinus. This species is virtually identical to P. ostreatus, except it grows on poplar wood and has larger spores. As edibles, there is no difference in quality. The ones seen here look to be a bit rain-soaked. So, the may require a little extra cooking time to reduce the moisture content. Correct about the jagged gill edges of Lentinellus mushrooms. Also, these types mostly have a very unpleasant acrid/peppery taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvus Posted May 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2022 Wonderful, thank you, both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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